This lesson teaches children that God wants His people to be holy, which means being set apart for Him and showing His love in how they treat others. It works well for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is holy, and He wants us to be holy too. We show that by loving our families, helping people who need help, and telling the truth.
Memory Verse
Leviticus 19:18
“‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
(WEB)
Put your hand on your heart when you say the first part, then reach both arms out wide on the words “love your neighbor.” Have children repeat the motions three times until they can do them without looking at you.
The Story: Leviticus 19 for Kids
Long ago, God spoke to Moses on a mountain in the desert. Moses was the leader of the people of Israel, who had been slaves in Egypt and were now traveling toward a new land. God gave Moses a message to share with everyone.
God said, “Tell my people, you shall be holy, because I am holy.” Being holy means being special and set apart for God. God wanted His people to act differently from the people around them, because they belonged to Him.
God gave many simple rules to help them. Children were to respect their mothers and fathers. The people were to remember the Sabbath day of rest and not worship idols. When farmers gathered their crops, they were to leave some behind for poor people and for strangers who had no food.
God also said the people must be honest. They were not to steal, lie, or cheat one another. Judges had to be fair to everyone, whether they were poor or rich. Nobody should be unkind to someone who was deaf or blind, and everyone should show kindness to people who came to live in their land.
At the end of the chapter, God said something that tied it all together. He told the people to love their neighbor as themselves. God reminded them that He was the Lord who had rescued them from Egypt, so they should treat others the way He had treated them.
Read It Together
Leviticus 19:3
“‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
(WEB)
Point out that God’s first rules were about family. Ask children how they can honor their parents at home this week, and let them name one specific action such as helping with dishes or speaking kindly.
Leviticus 19:9-10
9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.
(WEB)
Show children that God cared about people who had less than others. Explain that leaving extra grain and grapes behind was a way of sharing, and ask what it could look like today to share with someone who has less.
Leviticus 19:34
The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
(WEB)
Explain that God told His people to welcome strangers as if they were family, because they once were strangers in Egypt. Help children think of a new kid at school or a neighbor who just moved in and how they could make that person feel welcome.
Talk About It
- What does it mean that God is holy, and why do you think He wants us to be holy too?
- How can you show respect to your mom and dad when you are tired or frustrated?
- Why do you think God wanted people to leave some food for the poor?
- What is one way you could tell the truth this week even if it is hard?
- Who is someone in your life you could love the way God asks us to love our neighbors?
Activity Ideas
Heart Collage Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child draw a large heart and write or draw one way they can show love to someone this week inside it. Let them decorate the outside of the heart and share their picture with the group before taking it home.
Neighbor Hand Relay
You will need two bowls, a handful of dry beans or pom-poms, and a open space. Divide the children into two teams and have them pass beans from one bowl to the other using only a spoon held in the mouth or a flat hand, racing to fill the second bowl. Afterward, talk about how it is easier to help each other when we work as a team.
Kindness Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper slips, and a pen. Ask the family to write one kind act or honest choice on a slip each day and drop it into the jar. At the end of the week, read the slips together at dinner and thank God for each way He helped everyone show His love.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Leviticus 19 shows that holiness is not limited to worship or ritual. God’s standard reaches into everyday life, including family relationships, business dealings, care for the poor, and how we treat outsiders. The chapter ties personal faithfulness to social justice and to the call to love one another.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the idea that being good earns God’s love. The chapter begins with God’s holiness and His grace in rescuing Israel from Egypt, and the rules flow from that relationship rather than producing it. Make sure children hear that God helps His people become holy as they trust Him.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for being holy and for loving us. Help us to respect our families, to share with people who have less, to tell the truth, and to love our neighbors the way You love us. Please help us show Your kindness today. Amen.
